Practice Makes Perfect
by InAllMyYears
Summary: When Bunny and Jack are forced to spend the day together, pranks, games, and blossoming feelings ensue. (T because I'm paranoid!) (Now with other stories!)
1. This Won't End Well

**Hey guys, InAllMyYears here—First story for this fandom, please tell me what you think! I'm so excited to see the reception for this piece~! :3**

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Though he was stiff with tension, Bunny made sure to handle the little egglets carefully. No need to take out his frustration on the googies.

He had hoped that mindless painting in a shady spot by the dye river might calm him, but it wasn't meant to be. He set the finished egg down, rubbing his face roughly as it trotted off, proud of its new colors.

It was all North's fault, really. If that overbearing Cossack could just leave well enough alone…

After one of their monthly meetings at the Pole, the big man had approached Bunny. Or rather cornered him before he could make his customary escape.

Bunny had winced as a large hand clapped down on his shoulder, and knew right then that he wouldn't be thrilled with the discussion they were inevitably about to have.

"It has been three years, my friend, and yet you and Jack have not become friends. The others and I have talked, and we are worried."

"I see the troublemaker every month! What more ya want from me?"

And with a stern look, the man had told him exactly what he wanted.

Which was what led him to invite Jack into his Warren for the day. Not that Bunny was social or cared to spend time with anyone but his thoughts, but North just had a way of makin' a bloke feel right crummy, even if the reasons were unfounded.

And it wasn't as if the sprite needed to be invited—it seemed not a week could go by without some ice-themed prank being pulled on the poor Guardian of Hope. He had slipped on mysterious patches of ice, stepped into traps designed to hit him with multiple snowballs at once, and even woken up to a completely frozen dye river (which had melted mere hours later). Though the blighter was right sneaky, since Bunny had never actually caught him in the act. What he wouldn't give to find out just how the trickster made it past his golems and wards…

A cold breeze ruffled his fur, and Bunny tensed. He stood and stretched, before the chill could settle into his bones (he refused to think that it was a refreshing chill). The two had never spent time together outside of their requisite meetings, and Bunny would be the first to predict that this idea of North's would not end well.

* * *

Jack's heart pulsed in his throat, and his hands shook lightly. His stomach was heavy with anxiety, though the wind carried him with ease. He felt as if he had swallowed a particularly slimy river stone. You couldn't just drop information like that on a guy!

"Bunny has invited you to spend time in Warren," North had told him, bursting into the guest suite of the Pole (though Jack spent enough time there, it was really just considered his.)

Said spirit popped up into a sitting position on the bed, dispersing the small flurry of ice crystals he had been creating between his hands. "What? What do you mean?"

"Is English I speak, boy," the man had had that mischievous twinkle in his eye that even made Jack a bit nervous. "Bunny said you were welcome to spend day in Warren, to help with Easter preparations."

"So you're hiring me out as labor, huh? As a spirit of Winter, I do have my own responsi—"

"Bah, is spring! One day shall not hurt, eh?"

And before Jack could argue further, he had turned and left, throwing over his shoulder that Bunny expected him in the Warren tomorrow morning.

He knew North had probably forced Bunny to extend the invitation, but he figured going along with whatever plan the man had brewing would be easier than resisting in the end. That rationalization was easier said than done.

And if Jack had been secretly hoping for an excuse to spend some one-on-one time with the gruff Kangaroo, well, that was no one's business but his own.

Sure, he had stopped the Easter Bunny from fading completely, but it was kind of his fault that he had been in such a vulnerable position in the first place. The two hadn't really spoken after that, and Jack for one was relatively comfortable with their uneasy truce. The potential alternatives were much worse.

He touched down on a grassy knoll, cool dew coating his bare feet. It was a familiar chill that restored some of his confidence, and with that, he located the chink in Bunny's wards, familiar to him by now. Second head to the right from due north.

Really, how had no one found this before? Jack laughed quietly to himself. It didn't surprise him that the most frequently used entrance was on Easter Island.

So cliché, he shook his head and smiled as the wind tumbled him down the earthy tunnels.

With an exultation from the wind, Jack burst from the tunnels into the perpetual spring sunshine that was Bunny's Warren, a grin on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

This was going to be _fun._

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 **So, first chapter up! This has been fun to write so far, but recommendations and requests are accepted and appreciated! :)**


	2. Games

"No, Frostbite, you can't just-!" Bunny gestured to the eggs the winter sprite had painted with exasperation. The dozen he had gotten through so far were splotched haphazardly with color, with no organization among them. They were messy, to say the least, smeared with fingerprints and awkward white spots. The ones Jack hadn't painted yet were clustered together by the trunk of the tree they sat under, quivering silently.

Jack threw an indignant glare at the rabbit from where he sat, face painted almost as much as the eggs. "Can't just what? They're painted, aren't they?" He held up the half colored egg in one hand, the saturated brush in the other. "See? Egg plus paint equals painted egg. You'd think they'd make you pass some kind of test before giving you your own holiday." Shaking his head, he turned back to his 'work' of 'helping' paint the Easter Bunny's eggs.

With a huff, Bunny reached for the egg. "Now, there's a technique to it-"

But Jack leapt forward out of his reach, snatching his staff to hover a few feet from the ground. "You're the one that asked for my help, Cottontail! I've got a method, so just-"

"'S that method slappin' a color on there an' hopin' for the best?" Bunny raised an eyebrow, hands on hips.

A pout sprung from the sprite's lips. "I never said it was a good method."

Not for the first time that morning, Bunny ran a hand down his face, fantasizing about strangling Santa Claus. "Come down here, Frosty, an' I'll show ya—"

This caused Jack to hover even further away, cradling his egg protectively. "No, I think I'm doing just fine, thank you very much. My eggs are beautiful, no matter what you say!" Upon this proclamation, Bunny noticed the particularly bright splash of mischief in those icy blues, and the way his smile was pulled up a bit higher on one side. Just as it was when Jack had pulled off a rather elaborate scheme. And it dawned on him.

The whacker was teasing him!

He just managed to stifle a growl building deep in his chest and took a slow breath. "Look, I don't have time for these games, mate. I'm on a tight schedule."

Jack snorted. "Bunny, I don't know if you've noticed, but your entire place is kind of made for making lots of eggs pretty quickly. You've spent all year preparing." He swept down to float just over the irritated rabbit's shoulder, dangling the botched egg right before his eyes. "You're telling me that you haven't prepared for even one potentially missed day of production? That you're so behind, this close to your holiday, that you have to bust your tail every hour of the day?" As Bunny made to snatch the egg, Jack spun away on a lazy breeze, staring intently at it. "Man, do I feel bad for your eggs, having a Daddy like that."

Jack's head snapped up as a snarl reached his ears. Bunny was glaring up at him, hands fisted at his sides, lip raised in the most animalistic sound Jack had ever heard. His heart flipped in his chest and his eyes opened wide, body tensed in preparation to flee. Would his game end in an act of violence? Those emerald eyes foretold that possibility.

"Bunny…?"

"So you want to play games, eh?" He stalked forward a step. "Well I suggest you get to runnin' mate. It's tag, and I'm it. And trust me," his voice lowered to a near whisper, "You ain't gonna like it if I catch ya."

After a few more heavy thuds of his heart, Jack gathered the gentle springtime breeze about himself, and took off towards the cover of the forest in the Warren. Gentle thuds of large feet followed, and the sound set Jack's heart to racing all over again. Facing away from his pursuer, he allowed the mad grin he felt inside to slip onto his face.

North braced himself as his feet landed solidly on the grassy ground. He had been trying to work all day, but hadn't been able to get his mind off of Jack and Bunny. Were they bonding? Having fun? Killing each other? He just had to know.

The scene that greeted him was one he hadn't considered.

"MY EGGS ARE BEAUTIFUUUUL, IN EVERY SINGLE WAAAAAY!" Jack was singing loudly, flying like a bullet from a gun, while Bunny trailed closely behind, racing on all fours. The pale teen's usually opalescent skin was spotted and streaked with a riot of color, surrounding an exuberant grin.

"They're shite mate, just like yer singin'!" The insult carried no real malice, and if North didn't know any better, he could have sworn it sounded _amused_.

But, of course, he knew better.

The two obviously hadn't yet noticed he had arrived, as his portal had deposited him at a cliff just above the valley in which the two ran. North sat himself down on a nearby boulder to watch the scene unfold.

Jack slowed to make another comment, and this, North could tell, would be his downfall. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, 'Roo. YOUR WORDS, CAN'T, BRING MEEEE DOOOOOWN!"

"Maybe not my words, but how 'bout this?" Bunny leapt onto a nearby rock formation, pushing himself into the air, and collided with the winter child. Wrapping his arms about the thin waist, Bunny bore the two back to earth, giving Jack only enough time to yelp in surprise.

By the time they landed, Bunny had the wriggling sprite tucked firmly under one arm, staff in the other, a triumphant smile on his face.

Acknowledging his defeat, Jack laughed nervously. "Best two out of three?"

"No dice, Frostbite. I won your silly game, and now come the consequences."

"Is nice to see you two getting along so well."

Two heads spun quickly to where North sat perched on the boulder above, grinning like a fool.

"You!" Bunny said, pointing ominously and taking a few steps forward. "You're next you bloody ratbag!" He jostled his captive slightly, gesturing to him with the staff he had confiscated. "You know how many eggs this drongo mangled?! Too many, North!"

"Ok, one, mangled is a bit harsh, don't you think? And two, MY EGGS ARE—"

Bunny quickly covered the boy's mouth, earning a glare.

"We heard 'nuf of yer singin' Jackie. Doesn't change the fact that you can't paint. And yer a bloody nuisance."

"Well, just wanted to be making sure both of you were still living, and it seems you are quite lively," North smiled, standing and removing a snow globe from his pocket. "I should not have worried. I will not be interrupting game any longer—"

"Interruptin'!? This whole idea was nothing but an interruption!"

"Do svidaniya!" And with his farewell, the large man quickly tossed the shimmering globe and disappeared into the resulting vortex.

In the near silence that followed, Bunny smirked down at a now nervous Jack.

"So, Frostbite, ready for yer first paintin' lesson?"

Jack groaned.


	3. Lessons

**I'm so glad you ladies and gents enjoy this so far! I'm still contemplating how far to take this... Next part might be the last! Let me know what you think! 3**  
 _ **~InAllMyYears**_

* * *

The two were beneath the tree by the river once more, and having no better luck than they had had before.

"Like this?"

"Well, almost, but you gotta hold it like—"

"Bunny, this is pointless!" Jack set the half painted egg down, tossing the brush down as well. He crossed his arms across his chest and looked at the source of his frustration sitting next to him beseechingly. "I just can't paint like you do. It's all technique this and hand position that, complimentary colors and… artsy stuff! Don't you ever just, you know, paint for fun?"

Bunny huffed, setting his supplies down as well. He picked up the egg Jack had been painting, careful not to put his fingers in the still wet paint. He had been going for a pink base with a green haze on top, but had applied the second brush too soon and too harsh. The bristles had deposited uneven splotches of green over the delicate pink, causing them to mix in some places and leave bare scratches on others.

He turned it in his hand, considering Jack's question.

"You know I don't paint all of these eggs," Bunny glanced up at the teen, just to be sure he was paying attention. He was. "I couldn't do that. I'm good, but even North can't make all them toys." He considered the egg in his hand once more. "The ones I do get to make… Well, they're right special. I get to give a piece of myself to the rest of the world, and that's a major honor." He stood, walking to the edge of the dye river, no longer paying full attention to the words he was saying. "When you have that opportunity, it can't be anythin' less than your best, yeah? I've been doin' it so long now, it's like breathin' for me. It's somethin' beyond fun, beyond makin' myself happy. It isn't fun, but it isn't _meant_ to be fun. It's somethin' a… bit more'n that, I guess."

As his words caught up with him, his ears fell down in embarrassment. "Sorry Frostbite, I hadn't meant to bore ya with all that. You don't hafta—"

Bunny felt a hand on his arm and looked over to see Jack standing next to him, a solemn expression on his face, also looking out over the river. He hadn't even heard the kid move.

"I get it. Something more than yourself… I understand." Those icy eyes met his own, and Bunny was surprised to see them lacking their usual impish sparkle. "I didn't realize… you felt…"

The words trailed off, and Jack went back to looking over the river, obviously deep in thought. It almost disturbed him to see the kid like this, without his customary smirk. He hadn't expected his rambling to make any sense, especially not to the King of Jokes, but he couldn't help feeling like there was a whole different side to Jack he had never known was there.

But perhaps that was because he had never looked.

Suddenly he wanted nothing more than to snap him out of his reverie, and so did the first thing he could think of.

Wrapping his arms around the kid's waist, he sat down, pulling Jack down with him, settling him in between his legs on the grass.

"What the-? Bunny what are you-?!"

Ignoring his protests, Bunny leaned over to grab the half-finished egg, Jack's now dry paintbrush, and the small jar of green paint. "I told ya I was gonna teach ya how to paint, and I ain't known to be a quitter." He placed the brush in Jack's hand, fitting his own over the small white appendage. "And I never took yerself for one either. So, ready to try again?"

Jack stared for a moment, confusion and just a bit of awkwardness filling his features. Just when Bunny was ready to back off and apologize, the kid's face bloomed into a breath-taking smile, eyes lighting up with the challenge. With an affirmative nod, Bunny cleared his throat, tearing his eyes from Jack's face and resting them firmly on the egg before them.

"Right then. See, your hand needs to be gentler, Frostbite—the paint I make isn't very thick, and can run easy…"

As time passed, the two grew comfortable with their position, Jack in Bunny's lap, Bunny hovering over him, adjusting his pressure and technique. And when they finished that egg they tried another, and another, until Jack took his hand from Bunny's with a smile.

"I think I've got the general idea, Cottontail. Mind if I give one a try? On my own, I mean?"

He looked up, chuckling at the suspicious stare plastered firmly to the spring spirit's face.

"No more color slapping method, I promise!"

With a grumbled allowance, Jack hopped up from his seat, scooping one of the still bare eggs gently into his palm, and plopped down once more beneath the tree.

After eyeing him for a second or two, Bunny reached for his own brush, and the two proceeded to paint, with no more sound than the rushing river and the calm breeze.

* * *

"Done!"

The sudden exclamation nearly caused Bunny to ruin the pure yellow coating on the egg in his hand, and he glanced at his pupil in mild annoyance. And had to stifle a chuckle.

On top of the random assortment of colors which had splattered on Jack face earlier, it was now decorated in rich purple and blue, a single splash of which had crossed his eye. The thought which popped into his head next sobered him immediately.

 _He wanted nothing more than to recreate the shade of blue that floated in Jack's eyes with his own paints._

"Uh, Bunny, did you hear me?" Shaking his head, Bunny was embarrassed to notice Jack had been waving his hand before his own eyes, but he had been too lost in thought to notice.

"Er, sorry Jackie, what was it you said? I was zonked out for a bit there."

The sprite scoffed good naturedly. "Obviously. But I finally finished an egg, and it doesn't look like 'shite'," he lifted the egg in his hands for further examination and, hopefully, approval, with another one of those breath-taking grins of his. "At least, I don't think it does. What do you think? And be honest, I can take it!"

He set the egg in Bunny's open palm, eagerness flooding from every feature.

The egg wasn't the prettiest googy Bunny had ever seen, but it was certainly more than passable. It had a deep purple bottom, which faded to a slightly lighter blue towards the top. It was just lightly dusted with white splatter and haze. It resembled a winter expanse as it might look if nightfall were just falling.

He smiled. Typical winter spirit.

"What's the smile for?" Jack asked nervously, crawling a few inches closer. "I know it's a little bit wintery for an Easter Egg, but it's like my first real try, so I thought it would be ok if it was a bit off! I mean, I know you aren't really going to use my eggs, and I don't think it looks too bad—"

"Snowflake!" the once-rambling mouth popped shut at the unexpected nickname, eyes drawn to the smirk on Bunny's face. "You did a bang-up job. Real good for a first one."

As the words sunk in, light frost dusted pale cheeks and pearly teeth were exposed in a grin. "Really? You mean that?"

"It ain't a masterpiece, but she's apples," Bunny said, examining the egg once more. "Real beaut, promise."

He handed it back to the winter spirit, heart fluttering at the pure joy on Jack's face. "Why don't you keep that one, as a memento? You're right, it's too wintry for Easter," Bunny leaned back, deliberately adopting an air of nonchalance. "But who knows? You keep practicing, maybe I _will_ hide some ah yer eggs."

Those icy blues widened in delight. "You-you mean it? Really? You'd really hide one of my eggs?"

"I said some," The pooka corrected with a smile. "And only if ya keep practicin'."

The last thing he expected was the Guardian of Fun to throw himself at him in a rib crunching hug. "That would be so amazing! I promise I'll keep practicing, all year if I have to!"

After overcoming the shock, Bunny smiled, patting the spirit on the head. "You do that, Snowflake."

And the rest of the day was spent in practice and light-hearted banter, until the sun began to set.

"Well, looks like I ought to head out," Jack said reluctantly, grabbing his staff and stretching. "I'm sure you're really busy, what with Easter just around the corner," he took lightly to the air. "I guess I'll see you around, thanks for showing me how to pai—"

"Now wait just a tick there, Snowflake," Jack's cheeks frosted lightly at the new nickname, but it was thankfully unnoticed against his already snowy skin. Bunny stretched as well, gathering the canvas bag into which he'd packed his supplies. ( _Jack most certainly did_ not _admire the way sleek fur looked over rippling muscle, no sir._ )"I believe yer the one that said I was capable enough o' missin' a few days of production, and I might be a few days ahead of schedule. So how about it, wanna come back tomorrow? See how much o' my lessons you remember?"

Jack floated there in surprise for a minute before letting the wind drop him lightly back to the grass. "W…What? You want me to… Come back?"

The pooka looked rather sheepish at the question, ears falling flat, rubbing the back of his head, refusing to meet Jack's confused eyes. "Well, yeah, I guess… It was, I dunno, nice, havin' company, and you seem real determined to practice, so I figured…"

"I'd love to."

Green eyes snapped to bright cerulean, growing brighter by the second.

"I'd love to come back tomorrow," the sprite grinned. "And I promise, no pranks this time. Just good old fashioned practice."

Bunny took a few steps forward. "Ya know… I'm startin' to find maybe I don't… really mind yer jokes as much as I thought I might've… before."

Again, a shocked silence. Then Jack burst in mischievous laughter, much to Bunny's horror.

"Oh, Cottontail, you should _not_ have told me that!" More laughter bubbled from the kid, and the Guardian of Hope ignored the way the sound made butterflies riot in his stomach. "You thought it was bad before? Just you wait-"

"Remember mate," Bunny stepped even closer, a wicked grin of his own on his face, effectively cutting off the laughter, "there will be payback for any pranks you pull in my Warren. Got it?"

Jack hopped onto the passing breeze, still smiling, though his heart was pounding ferociously. He gave a mocking salute, to which Bunny rolled his eyes, and followed that breeze out of the Warren.

Once the pale boy had disappeared over the crest of a hill, Bunny turned to make the long, relaxing trek back to his den, but was stopped by two thin, pale arms wrapping about his waist.

"Thanks, Bunny," a voice murmured from behind, but the owner had flown off before he could turn and reply.

With a grin on his face, the pooka made the leisurely walk home, eager for tomorrow.

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 ** _DON'T PANIC!_ I promise not to leave it there, though it seems like its come to an end :) There will be at least one more part to this (Unless for some reason I decide to continue it.) R &R!**


	4. Bunny Ears

**Hey guys! I'm so glad this story has received such warm reception so far! I'm having a lot of fun writing it! As always, any reviews or recommendations are LOVED! 3 I look forward to hearing from you!**  
 **~InAllMyYears**

* * *

It was finally Easter Sunday, and there were no two children in the world who were more excited than the Bennett children. Of course, not many kids could say they were personal friends with the Easter Bunny, either.

Though their friends and parents considered them a bit old to be so excited for such a childish holiday, it didn't stop them from waking with the sun to search for those wondrous little eggs, which they would then squirrel away to their rooms. They felt no need to explain where the eggs came from, since neither they nor their parents left them in the dewy morning yard, and preferred to keep the small bit of magic to themselves.

The two had split up to better cover the area, and neither had yet noticed the pale figure perched on the roof of their home, a grin spread across his face.

"Soph, I found one!" Jamie shouted, crawling from underneath one of the bushes with his prize delicately clasped in one hand. He paid no attention to the dampness of his knees and elbows as he proudly displayed it for his sister.

"Bunny!" She cried delightedly, holding up an egg of her own.

"Great, you found one too! There's probably a few more, let's keep looking!"

With much laughing and smiling, the two searched until the sun was quarter way to it's peak, all the while being observed gleefully by one Jack Frost. As they uncovered each one— _the yellow one with red poppies, the blue one with the daises and lady bugs, the purple one with the dove in flight_ —their delight grew, until each had five beautiful eggs in their hands (in Sophie's case her arms, since she was still too small to successfully hold the eggs any other way).

The two ran back inside, up the stairs to Jamie's room, where they deposited their spoils on his bed.

"Five each this year?! That's two more than any other year!" Jamie grinned.

"Pretty!" Breathed Soph, holding the lady bug creation up to the light.

 _Kids got good taste_ , Jack mused to himself, hanging upside down from the roof to peek in the window. That one had been one of his favorites to paint.

After a few more minutes of watching the two admire their gifts, Jack took to the air. He felt as if pure sunlight had filled his chest, and his pride leaked from his seemingly-ever-present grin as he made his way back to the Warren.

* * *

"And their faces, Bunny! They were so happy!" Jack flung himself back into the grass to lay next to the already reclining Easter Bunny with a contended sigh. "It was just… Wow."

"I know the feelin'," his companion replied, head pillowed on his arms. "It's why I do what I do, Snowflake."

"You know, I might just agree that Easter is better than Christmas at this point," Jack grinned at Bunny, awaiting his reaction to the claim.

One green eye cracked open in response. "I already know ya like my holiday better, no foolin' me, mate." He smirked.

Frost flashed across Jack's face (something that had been occurring with increasing frequency the last few months), and he smiled sheepishly. "Well, North has never let me make any toys to give to children, so Easter definitely has the advantage."

"Well, it weren't too much trouble I guess," Bunny scratched his chest (And Jack stifled the frost that tried to play across his face again). "I'd go so far as ta say you were down right helpful, once ya got the hang o' things."

Jack beamed, rolling onto his side to face the pooka (and Bunny was left trying to digest those butterflies again). "You mean that?" Not trusting his voice for a moment, Bunny took the safer route and nodded. Jack flopped over onto his stomach, letting out a happy little hum. "Of course I was helpful—if you let me help next year, you'll wonder how you ever got on without me! You gotta admit, considering I've only been at it for like, two months, I'm getting good at that painting stuff," the sprite twirled a blade of grass around one of his thin fingers, casting a particularly mischievous smile at his mentor. "If you aren't careful, I might just take your job, Cottontail."

At this, Bunny let out a loud laugh, and Jack silently vowed to make the gruff warrior make the sound more often. He glanced back down at the grass between his fingers, a silly smile on his face.

"You could try, Frosty, but you'd never look as good in advertisin'," the Guardian of Hope joked.

"Aw come on, throw some bunny ears on me and a little fluffy tail, I could pull it off!"

When he received no immediate reply, not even a chuckle, Jack looked back at his companion. Those green eyes had become unfocused, easy smile falling into a face of contemplation. Internally Jack grimaced—Bunny must have been exhausted from all the work of bringing about a holiday. And here he was chattering his large ears off!

"Bunny?"

His name seemed to snap him back to the present. "Huh? Sorry Jackie, must be more tired than I thought. I'll just pop home, get a good sleep in." He stood quickly, looking over his shoulder as he began to walk towards his home all of a sudden. "Feel free to stop over anytime, prolly gonna sleep most of tomorrow, you know the way out! See ya mate!"

Jack stood, a look of confusion on his face as he watched his friend nearly run back to his home.

He fought of the slight hurt at having been abandoned so quickly, but chalked up the hasty retreat to being over-worked as well. Shrugging, Jack took to the light breeze once more, making his way to the now familiar entrance to the Warren.

* * *

Bunny closed the large oak door behind him soundly, leaning against it and putting a paw to his chest. As if the action could stifle his stuttering heart.

 _Snowflake… With bunny ears… and a tail…?!_

Shaking his head violently, he groaned, running his other hand down his face. His sleep-deprived mind had imagined the sight before his common sense could warn him against the dangerous thought.

Which was ridiculous of course. Jack dressing up in such a… stupid costume…

He scoffed, pushing himself off the door to walk across the sitting room. Making his way to the kitchen side of the large open space, Bunny pumped the water in the sink once, splashing his too-warm face with the refreshing substance.

Shaking his head to remove the excess, Bunny braced himself on the edges of the sink. He could feel the exhaustion seep through him, and did not like the idea of walking all the way to his bed…

Giving in to his desperate need for sleep, he trudged over to one of the plush couches on the other side of the room, paying no mind to the golden setting sunlight. He collapsed bodily onto one, out before he had fully settled.

And if he dreamt of creamy skin and snowy bunny ears, that was no one's business but his own.

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 **This story is kind of taking a life of it's own... I kind of expected this to be the lat chapter, but I'm not so sure... Let me know what you think!**  
 **Much love to storyland2 for the only review so far! (I'm glad you like it! ^^)**

 **~InAllMyYears**


	5. Spring Cleaning

**Ok. Just… WOW, guys! I'm so freakin' stoked you guys like this as much as you do! :D**

 **Guest, whoever you may be, I'M SO GLAD YOU FEEL THAT WAY! :D**

 **Enjoy this latest chapter! 3**

 **~InAllMyYears**

* * *

Bunny came back to consciousness with a low groan, silently cursing the sunlight streaming through the window. He had fought waking with a vengeance, but it seemed he was destined to lose the battle.

 _That's what I get for konkin' out in the livin' room,_ he thought bitterly as he swung his feet to the floor. Raising his arms above his head in a stretch resulted in various pops, and he grumbled further as he made his way to the sink. As the dull aching in his legs made itself apparent, Bunny rinsed the sleep from his eyes and mouth.

Bringing Hope and rebirth to the world just didn't get any easier.

A muffled, metallic clatter drew his eyes to the window above the sink, which gave him a widespread view of the back half of the Warren. The scene which greeted him made Bunny raise his brows in both surprise and confusion.

One; He had slept until sometime around one in the afternoon, based on the sun's location in his artificial sky. Bunny made it a point to never miss the morning hours, even after his holiday.

Two; His work area behind his home, the hollowed hillock in which he currently stood gaping, wasn't nearly as messy as he had left it.

And finally, three; Number two had occurred because Jack Frost was cleaning his Warren.

Bunny stood at that window for more than a few minutes, trying to make sense of that third revelation. But, sure as anything, the pale spirit was piling his cans of paint base in the large shed he kept just for that purpose. And, if his eyes weren't deceiving him, _they were being organized alphabetically, and by color to boot._

Keeping his eye on the odd scene, he backpedaled his way to the door, not quite believing yet that the prankster was… _cleaning_.

He quickly pulled the door open, nearly running to circumvent his home.

* * *

Jack wiped the light sweat from his forehead, then rolled his sleeve back up from where it fell. How Bunny did even a fraction of this work all on his own every year was a marvel.

His arms and legs ached, and he felt the light burn of activity in every pore. He had been here since early morning, tidying things here and there, herding the remaining egglets ( _about as effective as herding squirrels_ , he thought bitterly), cleaning and collecting all of Bunny's used brushes, empty paint cans, and taking those that weren't empty back to where he had seen them retrieved from.

And had been horrified by what he had found.

The inside of the shed was much bigger than the outside had led him to believe. It was a single room, lined on all sides with shelves, which housed all manner of cans and jars, floor to ceiling. In the center sat a large table, covered with smaller glass jars and vials and tools Jack couldn't even begin to guess the purpose of. Two large cauldrons flanked it on either side, and he could just make out a massive oven nestled among the shelves of the back wall.

All of it completely disheveled beyond the use of a single year.

For being so up-tight, it seemed there was little-to-no organization to the surely hundreds of different paint bases the pooka used, and never had been. Or, if there had ever been such a method, it had been abandoned before the dinosaurs were wiped out. Some containers were even tipped on their sides, spilling their powders and liquids. Crumpled balls of paper littered the floor here and there, and in the corner sat a massive pile of empty containers that nearly took up a fourth of the space. It smelled strongly of pungent chemicals, and it had burned his nose upon opening the double doors.

After conquering his horror, Jack had waded into the chaos, mop clutched to his chest like a weapon against this monstrous disaster.

And now, nearly three hours later, he was finally putting away the final, heaviest cans of finished paint (all on the bottom shelves, in their respective sections, of course). He couldn't wait for Bunny to see—

"Snowflake? What are ya doin'?"

 _Ah, speak of the devil._

Jack popped into a pert standing position, hands laced behind his back, a smug smile spread on his face. "Look who decided to join the living. Did you enjoy your coma?"

"Ah, rack off," Bunny replied, though the attempt at repartee was only halfhearted. He leaned around the sprite, jaw unhinged at the tidiness he saw behind him. "Mate… What have you been doin'?" He asked again.

Rocking back and forth on his heels, the kid's smile grew even wider. "Well, based on how this place looked before I got here, I can understand you not knowing what 'organizing' or 'cleaning' mean," Jack teased, stepping aside with a small bow. "So, as a thank you, I decided to, very selflessly and kindly, clean your workshop for you!"

"Thank…?" Bunny walked towards said workshop, eyes still wide in awe. "This is…" He walked through the doors, turning slowly to take in his space. The empty cans were gone, and the place smelled like lemon cleaner and gentle soap. The stone floor had been scrubbed until it once more shown a slate grey, though Jack had at first believed it to be a dirt floor. His horror had sprung anew at _that_ particular discovery.

Jack entered the shed as well, admiring his handy work. "All the empty cans that were over in the corner are now cleaned and piled in the back, and I kept all the rags I used to clean the spilled stuff in some bags so we can get rid of them safely. I'm not sure how you usually do it..."

When Bunny didn't answer, merely continued staring at the room, he began to grow nervous. What if that huge mess was how the things were meant to be? The thought hadn't occurred to him, and he began to babble as a result. "I have them organized by size, then by substance, then by alphabetization… The paints are organized by color group along the bottom shelf, then by the name on the can, also alphabetically… If I messed up I remember where everything was supposed to go and I can put it back _and it would be super awesome if you said something right now because you're starting to worry me_ —"

"Its fantastic," Bunny breathed, shoulders slumping, eyes remaining wide. "Right ripper she is."

"Ok… I'm gonna guess 'ripper' is a good thing," Jack came to stand in front of him, looking up at him hesitantly. "So… You like it then?"

"It's…" The pooka ran a hand down his face in awe. "Wow. You really done good, Jack. Real good." He looked down at the face slowly regaining its confident smirk. "You did all this just 'cause I taught you to paint?"

"Well no, of course not," Jack scoffed. "I did it because you're my friend, and you obviously needed the help of a professional," His face fell slightly in another sudden bout of uncertainty. "I mean, we are friends… aren't we?"

It was apparent that this moment held significance for both of them. How Bunny answered could alter the paradigm they had built for themselves over the last few months, and Jack refused to even breathe as he awaited that answer.

Bunny's face slowly broke out into a large smile that warmed the winter child from the inside out. "Fair dinkum we're friends, Snowflake."

* * *

 **So that's it for that chapter! Sorry it's mostly fluff, but I hope you enjoyed nonetheless! This might be the last chapter… I'm not sure what else to do, to be honest ^^" If you have a request, feel free to message me or review! If I use any ideas I'll be sure to give you an honorable mention in the respective chapter… Anyways, THANKS FOR THE AMAZING RECEPTION THUS FAR! As always, R &R! :D**

 **~InAllMyYears**


	6. Family

**Hey guys! I'm back!**  
 **I know its been a while, and I won't make excuses- Here's the next chapter! It's a bit longer than the others, everyone just kind of ran away with this one. So depending on who you are, either** ** _I'm Sorry_** **, or** ** _You're Welcome!_**

 **On to the latest installment of Practice Makes Perfect!**  
 **Warning- use of the F-word, so caution!**

 **~InAllMyYears**

* * *

The meeting had been scheduledfor nearly an hour ago, and yet, Jack hadn't shown up.

Mugs of eggnog had been distributed, cookies passed around, small-talk had, and at no point since the four had gathered had the window opened as it usually did, precisely three minutes after the scheduled three o'clock. Such minor tardiness was to be expected from the flighty winter spirit, but this? This was a reason to worry.

"Should we go look for him?" Tooth fluttered back and forth, eyes glued to the boy's usual entrance, as they had been for the last half hour. "Maybe he's hurt, waiting for someone to find him—"

"Not helpin', Tooth," Bunny growled from his chair, arms tightly crossed.

"Well it certainly beats sitting here!" She snapped back, facing him with a slight glare. "What, you just expect us to sit here and hope he shows up? Something is obviously wrong!"

"Is true- Jack has never been so late before," North agreed, standing from his slouched position against the mantle. "We must go find him- Cannot have Guardian meeting without all Guardians, anyway." He swept his coat from the back of one of the chairs, striding quickly to the double doors which enclosed the room. "To the sleigh!"

"Now wait just a tick, mate," Bunny sprung onto his feet. "Wouldn't it make more sense to split up? Cover more ground that way?"

"Perhaps, if you could go as fast as sleigh," North smirked condescendingly.

Tooth swept between the two, wings twitching in agitation. "Really, is this any time to perpetuate your silly feud?! Jack could be anywhere, and we need to—"

"I didn't say anythin', North is the one who-!"

"I am merely saying that with sleigh we can find—"

The smashing of glass brought all eyes to the small golden man standing by the now open window. He had dropped his mug to bring attention to the new addition in the populace of the room.

A chill that had nothing to do with the howling wind slipped down everyone's spine as they took in the Guardian of Fun who had just arrived.

Sandy shut the window behind him as he lurched to one of the chairs, customary smirk plastered on his face. "Hey guys, sorry I'm so late. Hope I didn't miss anything too exciting, though it looks like I might have."

No one responded. They were too busy noticing the mangled state Jack had arrived in.

Across one eye, two parallel burns marred his skin, looking nastier for his natural paleness, reaching from his hairline to the side of his mouth. He was doing a poor job of hiding the obvious wound to his side, though no blood was apparent. The smell of burnt cloth and hair clung to him, and even from their distance, they could see the ends of his hair were just a bit singed.

Tooth was the first to overcome the shock. She slowly walked—not flew, though that was her natural state—towards the boy, as if he might run.

"Jack… What happened? You're hurt…"

"Heh, well, you should see the other guy," He swept his hair out of his eyes carelessly, plopping into the chair he had chosen, just barely concealing a wince. "Now, are we having a meeting, or did I miss that part?"

"What happened? We were so worried, and you show up like this—"

Blue eyes hardened to ice. "Tooth, I'm fine. I'm here, and we can start the meeting now."

"But, Jack, you're not—"

"Jeez, can you just drop it?"

The cold tone that accompanied those words snapped North out of it. He stepped forward.

"Tooth is just worried, like we all are. You are injured, and need treatment, meeting be damned."

That cold gaze switched to the large man, filling him with ice as well. "I've been just fine without a mother hen up until now, and I certainly don't need one now, much less three."

A quiet jingle from behind him brought his attention to the golden figure over his shoulder. "Sorry, Sandy, I don't need _four_ mother hens."

Everyone was surprised when Bunny strode up to the boy and snatched him up by the hood of his sweater, dragging him from the chair and quickly out the doors, though Jack protested loudly. The other three were left in silence, besides the clatter of Jack's staff to the floor.

Once in the hall, the teen let his weight fall, nearly tripping the spring spirit dragging him. "Seriously, Kangaroo, let me go-!"

Before he could get the last word out he had been swept up into two strong arms, more than capable of stifling any further protests Jack might pose. Finally giving up, he slumped, pouting like a child. Without the motion of his thrashing, the sprite noticed something he had not before. _Were Bunny's arms shaking…?_

Kicking a door open roughly with one large foot, the Easter spirit deposited his charge onto what appeared to be a medical table. Though Jack tried to immediately pop back to his feet, the door was slammed and he was pinned with an emerald glare.

"Stay," the Pooka growled, and Jack settled on the table-bench thing, hearing the threat in his tone. And he enjoyed having his head firmly between his shoulders, thank you very much. He had had enough of physical confrontation for one day.

Once satisfied that his charge would stay, Bunny nodded once, turning to a cabinet on the opposite wall. From it he removed a tube of… something medical, Jack guessed, and some bandages.

Blue eyes rolled to the ceiling. "Seriously, you too? I can only say it so many times. I'm fi-"

"If the next word out of your mouth is about ta be 'fine', I suggest shuttin' it," Bunny snapped, brushing the kid's bangs away from the burns on his face. "Or, better yet, tell me how ya got so wrecked. If I had ta guess, I'd say you rolled into some summer spirits."

Jack scoffed, wincing lightly as Bunny applied the ointment to his burns. It had a chemical-ish scent that almost made him sneeze. "They had no business being in England this time of year. It's October! England is kind of under my jurisdiction, since I have to get it ready for—"

"So they just pummeled you, then? No agitation?"

Jack's face fell into a sheepish smile. "Well, I may have messed with them a bit—"

Two large paws smacked the surface of the table on either side of the winter spirit's hips, and he jumped. His heart clawed its way up his throat as he noticed the look Bunny was wearing. It was pure pissed-off-ness. He should know, it was a look that had only just recently been shot his way.

"Dammit, Jackie, what were you doin', takin' on a couple o' heat spirits fer no good bloody reason?! Ya lookin' ta get yerself killed?!"

The surprise melted from his face, anger replacing it. "Hey, I don't need you or anyone else telling me how to live my life—"

"Obviously you do, because yer doin' a shite job at it!"

"You don't get to judge me!" Jack screamed back, faces just inches apart now. "What gives you the right to get so angry at me for having fun?! Contrary to popular belief, I'm not a fucking child!"

Bunny leaned back, crossing his arms. "Ya think we ain't got no right to be upset?"

Jack nodded back angrily, chin rising in defiance.

In response, the Pooka sighed, looking away from the hateful glare for a moment. When his gaze returned, it was significantly softer, and a small smile even ghosted across his face.

Jack was stunned when the center of his forehead was flicked lightly.

"You gave us that right, ya dill."

A pale hand rubbed the spot that had just been struck. "Wha-?"

"You're the reason we have these meetings, ya know," Bunny chuckled, taking the bandages up once more, cutting a rectangular piece large enough to cover those burns. "We hardly ever met like this before you showed up."

Confusion twisted across Jack's features as he gazed into Bunny's serene expression. How had he gone from being so angry, to being… tender? Was that the right word?

"What… do you mean? Me?"

"I'd be the last person to say we were ever a close bunch," Bunny continued, lightly pressing the bandage to the superficial burns. "Before you came, that is. We never had updates, or meetings, or get togethers- you kinda, I dunno, bring us together in a new way.

Now take off yer hoodie."

"I'm sorry, excuse me? Are you asking me to strip?"

Ears fell back, and a light scowl crawled across Bunny's features. "Ya gumby, I need to look at yer ribs."

Jack's face fell. "And here I thought I hid it so well."

"Not really. Off with it."

With a heavy sigh, he did as was asked, and Bunny hissed as a large purple bruise was exposed, blooming across the snowy chest. More light burns encircled the thin pillar of his neck, and those green eyes narrowed.

"You musta really made 'em mad, huh?" he grumbled, applying more ointment to the new burns, much to Jack's wincing.

"Don't ask."

"Wasn't plannin' to." He pressed his fingers lightly in spots across the boy's ribs, trying to determine if they were broken. He paid close attention to each wince that made Jack's face crumple. "As I was sayin', we're much friendlier than we've been in the past. You swept in and kind of brought us together. You said it yerself, Snowflake- at the very least, we're friends now. Friends do this sort of thing- worry about each other when one of them does somethin' incredibly stupid, and gets banged up as a result."

Jack's face fell into an expression of contemplation as Bunny continued the exam. After a few minutes of silence, his self-appointed doctor took a step back, hands on his hips.

"Well, looks like nothin's broken, but you took a beatin'. Yer gonna have that nasty bruise for a while, so I'd take it easy for, oh, 'bout a week or so. By then you'll be back in ship shape. Good news, eh, mate?"

It was at this moment Bunny noticed the trail of tears down pale cheeks.

He sprung forward, gently clasping Jack's shoulders in mild panic. He'd never seen the winter spirit cry, and it unsettled him.

"Hey, hey now, I'm sorry fer yellin' Snowflake, it's just we were all so worried and you were bein' such a dag bout it-"

"I don't care that you yelled," Jack sniffled, wiping his eyes and refusing to meet Bunny's worried gaze. "I just… I forgot what its like to have somebody care about you, is all. It's weird."

The two fell silent as they recalled just how long it had been since the boy had had someone to care about him. It was obvious to Bunny now that the boy was no good as receiving care or worry.

The room was silent except for Jack's light sniffles, and each one tore just a little bit at Bunny's heartstrings. Some instinct, usually buried deep in his consciousness, rose to the forefront of his mind as he carefully wrapped his arms around those thin, slightly shaking shoulders, pulling the boy forward into a comforting embrace.

Jack's eyes sprung wide as his face was pressed against a warm chest, fur soaking up his tears. His immediate response was to feel awkward at the contact, but he stifled that feeling beneath waves of gratitude.

Hesitantly, he wrapped his own arms around Bunny's waist, allowing the ever-lessening flow of tears to run their course. The two sat there, letting the air of comfort they had created washed over them.

Bunny had to fight against letting a few of his own tears trickle from the corner of his eyes. How long had he mourned a family he had never had the chance to create? For how many centuries had he hoped for someone to care for, someone to rely on and who relied upon him?

Eventually, the two pulled back, and Bunny fixed a stern look upon those watery blue eyes. "So now ya know. Ya got people who care about ya now, ya can't throw yerself in harm's way willy-nilly like ya did before. Ya get hurt, and ya hurt the people who love ya. Get it, Snowflake?"

Jack simply nodded, shamefaced. "I'm sorry."

Bunny simply ruffled the kid's hair. " 'S alright. But I'm not the only one ya need to apologize to. Right?"

Jack's gaze stayed glued to the floor, though he hefted a sigh and nodded again.

"Good. Now, let's get back to the meeting, yeah?"

He slipped off the table, and Bunny held the door open for him as he shuffled out. The two walked back in near silence, though not the angry silence they had arrived in. This one was full of buzzing thought, remorse, and just the tiniest hint of affection.

About half way back, a realization struck Jack in his very core, filling him with warmth.

 _They… love me?_ Bunny _loves me?_

Jack glanced up into his companion's face, heart fluttering a bit at the tender smile there, even though Bunny looked straight ahead. He had said as much, hadn't he?

Jack looked back down, frost coating his face. It was a marvel, really. People cared about him. Enough to be upset when he got hurt. Huh.

Weird.

They arrived back at the meeting room, and once more Bunny held the door open for him. He hesitated to enter, but stumbled forward upon Bunny's gentle nudging.

He didn't expect to have arms immediately wrapped around his shoulders, Tooth babbling almost too fast to keep up.

"Jack! Oh Jack I'm so sorry I didn't mean to smother you I was just so worried, WE were so worried, and you looked like you had been hurt and never in a million years do we ever want to see you hurt and I know we probably should have given you your space and we're so sorry-!"

"Hey, Tooth, I'm the one who should apologize," Jack chuckled, returning the hug. "I was just being a dag about the whole thing. I'm sorry I scared you."

He flicked a grin over his shoulder at the Pooka, who smiled warmly in return.

Tooth pulled back, cupping his face in her palms. "Oh sweet tooth, I'm so glad you're ok, and that's all that matters."

"Though must be interesting story, how you got such wounds," North boomed good-naturedly, slapping Jack on the back, almost causing the boy to fall. "You must share! You say opponents took worse beating, yeah?"

He was able to hide his slight wince at the blow, and laughed. "Well, I was passing through London, just spreading my frost like usual, when all of a sudden these three summer spirits popped out of nowhere—"

"Three?! What jerks!" Tooth exclaimed as the three made their way over to where Sandy was already seated, everyone paying rapt attention to the story.

Bunny leaned against the door jam, observing the group with affection. His family. Weird to think about. And it was all thanks to one Jack Frost.

As if he could sense Bunny's thoughts, Jack looked over at him, the smile on his face growing even wider. That grin stirred something in his heart, and he was plagued again with those damn butterflies.

A sudden thought popped into Bunny's head, but he quickly squashed it.

 _Nah. I ain't got any feelings for Frost. He just a mate, that's all._

While the other three were distracted by Jack's story-telling, Bunny stepped into the hall. He tapped one foot on the ground twice, slipping into the hole he had conjured.

He had some summer spirits to find.

* * *

"Hey, Bunny!"

The Guardian of Hope looked up from his painting, waving to the winter spirit floating his way.

"Hey, Snowflake. Here to do a bit of painting?"

The boy landed next to where Bunny sat, under his favorite tree, and plopped down, a suspicious look on his face.

"Maybe in a minute. I have a question for you."

Bunny went back to painting, trying to quell his rising panic.

"Oh yeah? Well shoot, I ain't got all day."

Jack plucked up one of the eggs, examining it's dark purple design as he spoke. "So I've heard through the grapevine that a couple of summer spirits got jumped the other day."

Oh. That. "Yeah? Hope they're alright."

"Do you?" Jack let a stern note enter his voice. "Because it just so happens, the spirits in question are the very same ones I had a run in with the other day."

He missed only a single beat before continuing to paint. "Sounds like karma's been busy."

"They have no idea who attacked them, and say they only saw 'a grey blur' before whatever it was left them in some back alley in Tokyo."

"One of life's great mysteries," Bunny set his finished egg down, face schooled into one of nonchalance. "Guess they'll never know what all-powerful, amazing, spectacular bein' dealt them justice fer gangin' up on a lone winter spirit, huh?"

After just a beat of silence, Jack burst into laughter. It took a while for him to be able to speak again.

"Bunny, I can't believe you-!"

"Aster."

And that stopped the laughter. "Huh?"

"My name. It's Aster," Bunny was smiling, watching Jack laugh, eyes warm.

Though the laughter had stopped, a smile remained. "Aster. Kind of like Easter, without the E. Fitting." He fell back, pillowing his head on his hands, not bothering to hide the ice sprinkling his cheeks.

The pooka felt the way his heart clenched at hearing his name from that mouth, and quashed the feeling once more.

 _Just a really good mate._

Blue eyes pinned him in place, and Jack chuckled once more. "Seriously, I appreciate you pushing karma along, but you don't have to fight any battles for me. I brought it on myself, anyway."

Aster laid down next to him, looking up into the sky above. "I'm tha only one allowed to beat up on ya. Anybody else has ta answer to me." He grinned at the boy, who laughed in response.

"That seems fair, I guess."

After sharing one more smile, the two closed their eyes, settling in for a nap. The eggs Aster had painted already climbed over the two as they slumbered, and neither noticed as the purple one, coated in white spots (a bit too wintery for a right Easter Egg), nestled its way into the Guardian of Fun's hood.

* * *

 **So there it is guys! I hope you enjoyed! As always, any requests or suggestions are always welcome!**

 **R &R!**  
 **~InAllMyYears**


	7. Of Ice Packs and Nap Time

**This chapter was written via a request! Thanks so much for the idea _a fanfictioner_ , I hope this is somewhat what you had in mind!**  
 **If not, well... I hope you enjoy anyway!**  
 **Here ya go!**

* * *

"No."

"Why not?" Jack asked indignantly, leaning backwards over the arm of one of the couches in Bunny's Warren. "It's not like it's something dangerous—I just wanted to check it out, but I thought I shouldn't go alone. See? Responsible, right?"

Aster huffed in return, running a towel over the wet dish he had cleaned. "Seems fishy to me. We might want to call the others—"

"Aw, come on! It's one spirit! How much trouble could one measly, no-body spirit be for us? And besides," Jack rolled right side up, resting his chin on a fist, "It's our responsibility to check this out, right? I've heard the town is in an uproar over it—a strange figure in the night, everyone exhausted, nightmares… I know it probably isn't Pitch, but that's his MO."

"You said it ain't affecting just the anklebiters though, right?"

Waving his hand about, Jack scoffed, "Details, details. Either way, it's our duty as guardians to at least monitor the situation."

Bunny rolled his eyes, setting the rag and dish down. He leaned back against the counter, fixing the winter spirit with a stern look. "I said no and I meant it. If we go, we need to take the others."

"Ugh!" Jack face-planted into the couch's arm. His words were muffled, but Bunny heard them just fine. "But I thought this would be a great bonding experience! Just you and me, a couple of pals kicking nightmare-causing butt!"

One eyebrow raised, and the spirit of spring let loose a chuckle. "I thought you just wanted to 'monitor the situation'?"

Jack looked back up with a pout. "Bunnyyyy…"

"Oh no, Snowflake, don't think you can flash those baby-blues and you'll get what you—"

Jack pulled himself quickly off the seat, walking up to him with his hands behind his back. Those eyes were getting wider and wider, but Bunny thought he might just be able to resist The Look—

Until he started lightly whimpering, melting his heart into mush.

"Dammit, Jack!"

"Yay! Race you to Norway!"

* * *

It was night when the two arrived in the town, though many lights still lingered in the dark.

"These people aren't sleepin', that's for sure," Bunny muttered, leaning against a tree on the slope which overlooked the city.

Jack, perched precariously on his staff, gave a smug smile. "I told you something was up. And do you feel it, that weird sensation that—"

"Something's wrong, yeah, I feel it."

After a self-congratulatory fist pump, Jack took to the cold breeze. "Hey, at least there's no snow yet, and I even tempered the frost so you wouldn't—"

"Jackie, shut-up for a tick."

White lips snapped shut and eyes widened as Bunny slid into a crouch, seeming to analyze the wind itself for what was amiss in the town below. He was no longer the grouchy Easter Bunny, but a seasoned pookan warrior on the hunt, and the change between the two was drastic if not startling.

He silently bounded down to the town's edge, Jack following just as quietly. The only sounds that accompanied them were the light whistling of the rushing air and the quiet snuffling of Aster's sharp nose as he continued to search.

They wove between buildings, Bunny leading, keeping an eye out for anything that seemed out of place. The two felt the continuing sensation of wrongness, but there was no other indication that any supernatural creatures besides themselves were present. No scents, no foot prints, no ominous whinnying of a nightmare—nothing.

Just Jack was about to suggest they abandon this venture, he saw a shadow flick into an alley that made him pause. He turned to inform his companion, but the sharp sensed pooka had already continued forward. Jack mentally shrugged, heading for the mouth of the alley. He could always shout for the Kangaroo if the shadow was indeed their mystery monster.

He touched ground at the very point where the light from a nearby street-lamp gave way to pure darkness. Leading with his staff, now glowing brightly at the tip, he breached the alley, heart giving a few protesting thuds.

Looking back on the moment, Jack would realize it was not one of his finest. Splitting up was no-no number one. Entering a creepy, dark environment alone was no-no number two.

His heart sped with each step, and his hands even shook a bit. Deeper and deeper he went, not knowing what outcome he preferred—finding the creature or not.

Finally, a brick wall entered his bubble of light, and he scoffed, lowering the staff. How ridiculous was he? Like a horror-movie bimbo, wandering off—

As he turned, he felt a waft of putrid, stale breath splash his skin, and two black eyes reflected the minimal light of his staff.

Giving rise to no-no number three—Never turn around.

* * *

"Well, Snowflake, I think we can say that there isn't any—"

"ASTER!"

The Guardian of Hope spun at his shouted name, noticing the severe lack of pale-teen following him.

"Oh, I'm gonna kick his pasty arse," Bunny spat, rushing through the streets in the direction of the cry. The sounds of a scuffle were evident, and the temperature dropped a sudden ten degrees, at the very least. His breath came out in panicked puffs before him as he made his mad dash toward Jack.

As he came upon the scene, Bunny let loose a feral sort of growl. Jack was crouched, nearly on his knees, panting heavily as he was circled by a fearsome beast.

He hadn't thought there were any Insomnivores left.

The creature had a cat-like body, though it was coated in inky feathers instead of fur. Rather than a snout, the monster looked as if the place its nose should have perched had been ripped off, as if it had been made of clay and the creator had changed their mind about the appendage. The blunted face sloped down into thick, powerful jaws, from which monstrous teeth emerged, currently twisted into a snarl. Eyes that were almost entirely black as well—save for the yellow slits in each, and the grey-ish feathers which ringed them—were focused on the downed teen, though Bunny could smell no blood.

They really should have brought the others.

"Hey, Jackie, you alright mate?"

This brought the creature's attention immediately to him, and it hissed, hopping back from the newest adversary.

"Yeah, I'm good," Jack panted, staggering to his feet. "This thing is as fast as it is ugly. Any idea what it is?"

As he asked the question, Aster was forced to tumble forward as the beast sprung for him, reaching with razor sharp claws to tear him apart. Jack could now see (since he was no longer the only mouse in this game) that a trail of wispy shadow fluttered behind it as it moved.

Green eyes never left the thing as he explained. "It's an Insomnivore—it eats peaceful, restful feelings, preventing sleep. Usually these things will settle in a town- _watch it, watch it Jack_!"

The kid twisted just out of reach of those nasty claws, tapping its flank with his staff as it passed. It released a ferocious yowl as a thick layer of hoarfrost spread over its flank. Bunny chucked a boomerang for good measure, but the wooden tool was bat out of the air by a massive paw.

"—settles in a town and feeds until the people go crazy," Bunny growled.

"Oh, that's just downright cheery," Jack shuddered, eyeing this thing with a new sort of wariness. It certainly was terrifying, he'd give it that. Yup, definitely no restful or peaceful feelings here.

"And they're damn tough to drive off." Bunny darted towards the thing, but it danced back out of his reach. Jack cast a bolt of ice, but the Insomnivore had no trouble turning on a dime to avoid being stung with the frost again.

Unfortunately that drove the creature straight back Bunny's way, and Jack noticed yet another feature on it he had certainly over-looked.

The thing basically had a mace attached to the end of its long tail. Seriously? Was that even necessary?

As it rushed by him, that wicked spiked ball slammed in to Aster's stomach (likely taking a note on how Jack had pulled nearly the same maneuver on it), sending the pooka sprawling. He spat out a pained groan but stood again quickly, clipping the creature on the shoulder with a well-aimed boomerang.

"Didn't want this to get loud, but we ain't got a choice," Bunny wheezed, removing two eggs from his bandolier. With skill derived from centuries of practice, he chucked them at the Insomnivore, one hitting it directly in the face. It exploded, and colored smoke filled the square.

As it settled, the two were left looking at a very puzzled, very pink nightmare cat thing.

Jack couldn't help but laugh as he slammed the creature with a haze of ice shards, and it yowled once more as it retreated into the night.

He hopped in a small circle, arms waving over his head in a victory dance. "Yes! We did it! See, I told you! Not a problem for us!"

Bunny didn't reply, shuffling over to pick up the boomerang which had been left lying on the ground. One arm was clutching his stomach, and Jack frowned, approaching him slowly.

"Aster… Are you ok—"

And the Guardian of Hope chose this moment to lose the contents of said stomach.

Jack sat there open-mouthed for just a moment. "I'm going to take that as a solid no."

* * *

The two had eventually made it back to the North Pole (via a combination of Bunny's tunnels and Jack's ability to make surfaces particularly slippery), where Jack hastily explained Bunny's current injured state, telling them about the Insomnivore on the loose. With them taking care of that situation, the winter spirit was left to take care of the Bunny-is-dying-and-its-all-my-fault situation.

Though, according to Bunny himself, he was, in fact, not dying, and it was, in fact, not Jack's fault.

Well, not entirely, anyway.

The poor winter spirit was currently kneeling at Aster's bedside, in North's infirmary, clutching the cotton-white sheets as he groveled.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry-!"

"Jack, ya gumby, I already tol' ya the first million times ya said that, it's ok!"

"But you puked and you're hurt and it's my fault—!"

"Ugh!" Bunny couldn't even roll away from the kid, since all his injuries were in his core muscles. He had determined that it was mostly intense muscular bruising, along with mild blunt-force trauma from taking a mace to the belly. Nothing he wouldn't survive from, though Jack insisted on him staying entirely reclined in bed like some kid with a cold.

"Can I at least get you anything? Some food-"

Bunny gagged. "Look, if ya wanna make yerself useful, find me something cool I can put across my stomach, alright?"

Jack nodded eagerly, rushing from the room. Bunny rolled his eyes, then closed them, thankful for the few minutes of peace this would surely provide.

He rushed into the room which housed all the medical equipment the Pole had, startling a couple members of the Yeti Medical Staff. Paying them no mind, he rushed to the chest freezer, gathering every ice pack he could find. Jack took a moment to fill a glass of water, just in case, and staggered with his load out of the room once more, confused yetis in his wake.

As he dropped the frozen packages next to the bed, Bunny took in the pile with incredulous eyes.

"I grabbed everything I could find! I didn't know which type of compress would fit best against your stomach without crushing it, so I just brought—"

His explanation was cut off by uproarious laughter, which was then followed by grunts of pain.

Jack's face fell into a pout. "What's so funny?"

"Snowflake, ya need to calm down. Look at what ya did to the water!"

He glanced down at the glass in his hand, and sure enough, it was frozen solid. He tipped it upside down and gave it a hearty shake.

Frost bloomed across his cheeks as he laughed self-consciously. "Ok, maybe I am a little frenzied."

"And the packs are pretty solid, too." Bunny emphasized the point by dropping the bag he had grabbed back onto the ground, which landed with a solid thunk. "I can't use these, they're too dense now—can't contour to the swelling."

"But that was everything in the freezer! Hang on, I can probably go make some makeshift ones out of plastic bags! Where do you think North keeps his Ziploc-?"

Jack suddenly found himself falling, one hand caught in a large paw that had tugged him across Aster's stomach. More ice sprung in thick whorls over his cheeks as a second paw pressed on his lower back, preventing him from getting back up.

"If yer gonna be such a worry-wort, might as well get some use outta ya," Bunny chuckled, then leaned back, sighing. "Gotta say though, you make a pretty decent cooling pad, Snowflake. Stomach already feels a bit better. And this way, you can't run around freezin' the rest of the Pole."

The poor winter spirit couldn't even muster a reply. His throat felt as if it might collapse, his head felt entirely too full, and he couldn't tell if his heart had ceased to beat or was beating much too fast. He could feel something akin to fire race through him each time Aster shifted, stealing his breath all over again. What. Was. Happening?

He pressed his face into the blankets, trying to hide his no doubt (Mortified? Embarrassed? Shocked? Was there even a word?) face from his invalid companion. Thoughts were racing through his mind, chasing each other in endless circles, but he couldn't force himself to analyze any of them too closely. Maybe later, when he wasn't facedown across Aster's abdomen—

The light snore that broke the silent tension of the room would have surely made Jack jump had he not been locked in place by nerves. Slowly, he turned just a tad to peek over his shoulder at his captor, who was now sound asleep.

Seriously? Asleep?

Before he could stop himself, Jack rolled his eyes and scoffed. Leave it to the Kangaroo to be completely oblivious to social awkwardness.

Not entirely voluntarily, he took a moment to look at Aster's unconscious face. It wasn't often he saw that face so completely stress free—in fact, he'd never seen the pooka look as relaxed as he was now, not even when they were laying out in the sunshine together. And suddenly he wondered, _had Aster ever watched_ him _sleep_?

Again a small trickle of that fire rushed through his veins, and he turned back to the blankets. He felt stupid- Bunny just needed an ice pack, and Jack just happened to be there. There was no reason to read into it like he was—obviously Bunny hadn't thought twice about the arrangement.

To keep calm, Jack began to count the slow, even breaths that gently caused him to shift up and down. He counted the ticks of the clock on the wall. He counted the times he had to shove intrusive thoughts from the forefront of his mind back into dark, uncertain depths.

And then, Jack got bored.

Surely at least an hour had passed, but there was no way to be certain, as that clock was nowhere in his field of vision. Not that that field consisted of much anyway—just the mattress, the wall the bed was pressed against, and slate fur. The room itself was painfully sterile, white pristine white walls and equally-white tile floors, clean-cut and formal. It was the epitome of a medical environment. Which was unbearably, tearfully boring to stare at.

Bunny continued to snore lightly, twitching in his sleep every now and then. Jack wiggled experimentally, with no response from the sleeping pooka. If he was careful, he just might be able to sneak out and see about a proper compress.

Slowly, he began to turn over, making sure not to jostle the arm that was still resting on his back. It was painstaking, and he froze for minutes at a time with every sniffle or shuffle. Once he was successfully off of his stomach, he gently picked the arm up and began to slide out from under it. Just a few more inches and he could easily spring away—

Jack lost his orientation in the flurry of movement that engulfed him. He was flipped, shifted, turned and tousled, all within a cage of grey fur. When the movement settled once more into stillness, he found himself facing the rest of the room (hey, look, the clock!), an arm firm as iron across his waist, with six and a half feet of sleeping pooka curled around him.

Because just being an ice pack wasn't bad enough, now he had to be the little spoon. Where were those medical yetis?!

Well, at least the swelling and pain had probably gone down, since Bunny had obviously had no trouble man-handling him in his sleep. This didn't comfort Jack as he fought not to send the Workshop into a deep freeze.

The warm fur that tickled his back did nothing to alleviate the feeling of panic that swelled inside him, but he squashed it desperately. This was no big deal, and really, it was no worse than before, he told himself. Bunny hadn't even meant to do it this time, no thought behind the action at all.

Jack quickly determined he wouldn't be getting up any time soon. At least, not if he wanted his friend to get rest and heal from the injury that was basically his fault. Blue eyes rolled once more, and suddenly, Jack was fighting the urge to laugh. When Aster woke up, he'd probably be horrified, or something equally as funny.

Perhaps this was an opportunity in disguise. How hilarious was it going to be when he woke up to Jack Frost in his arms? How fast was he going to leap from the bed, and how loud was he going to yell? This could, potentially, be the greatest prank he had ever pulled.

After all, he hadn't been the one to suggest cuddling. In fact, he had tried to stop Bunny, like any good friend would.

But that could be hours from now, and Jack had just as much to do now as he had before trying to leave. However, now that he was comparatively calm, the aches and pains from the earlier battle made themselves more pronounced. And Bunny was awfully warm, which made him more than a bit drowsy, since his entire body was now plastered against the furry space heater.

Pale eye lids drooped closed, and Jack fell into that cozy oblivion that was sleep within moments.

* * *

Bunny was slowly dragged back to consciousness by quiet giggles and coos, and a whispered "That is too adorable!"

His eyes rebelled against the bright lights, but quickly focused on the trio sanding before his bed. One of them was holding a small gadget… one of those… what were they called?

Oh, yeah, cameras. And it was pointed directly at him.

His first concern was that his injuries had forced him to change sizes again. Dammit, if he was tiny again, someone was gonna pay… But a quick stretch of his legs dispelled that concern. So why were they…?

That's when he noticed his arms were wrapped around a distinctly cold form. A small, familiar, male form.

With a quick gasp Aster rolled away from the Guardian of Fun, sending himself careening to the floor. Another round of giggles (and the light jingling of bells that was the voice of Sandy) resounded from the end of the bed, and he heard the click of a camera once more.

"These photographs are too perfect!" North chuckled, glancing at the screen before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Will never live this down, Bunny!"

With a growl, Aster hopped up, darting for the damning evidence, but it was quickly tossed through the air to a fluttering Tooth, who burst into her own giggles at the photo. "Like I said, too cute! The girls are gonna go nuts for this!"

"No they ain't, 'cause you ain't gonna show 'em!" Once more he made a move for the camera, but it was thrown to Sandman amidst pealing laughter.

And was suddenly shot from the air, landing on the floor with a thud. Frozen solid.

All eyes snapped back to the bed, upon which a sleep tousled winter teen sat, scowling, eyes still half-closed. He pushed himself off the mattress, slowly making his way over to where a shocked Aster stood. Grumbling, the kid grabbed the pooka's wrist, dragging him back to the mattress, and shoved him back onto it, crawling in beside him. It never even occurred to Bunny to resist, his brain short-circuiting from the oddness of it all.

No one spoke, though every pair of eyes was wide and trained on Jack.

Once he was settled, one of Aster's arms tucked firmly around him once more, he finally spoke.

"The next one to wake me up is gonna be target practice."

He tucked his face into the fur of the arm he had taken hostage, but his muffled words were still heard by all in the room.

"And the next one with a camera is gonna lose a couple of toes. Slowly."

A few minutes passed in which they awaited another mandate from the tired teen, but he was silent once more, breaths settling into the constant pattern of sleep.

After a few more moments of stunned silence, the three standing Guardians began to back towards the doors to the room, Tooth sweeping up the frozen camera with a warm smile on her face. They were utterly silent, and closed those doors behind them.

Bunny's eyes never left the pale kid wrapped in his arms.

Seeing no other alternative, he settled into the bed, making himself comfortable. He enjoyed being frostbite free, and didn't doubt for a moment Jack's threats.

Even so, a small smile graced his face as he fell once more into slumber.

* * *

 **Sorry for that ending, I couldn't come up with something really satisfying, and I was eager to get this chapter out! Thank you again _a fanfictioner_ for the request, and I hope you enjoy this injured-Bunny chapter! It was really fun to write!**

 **As always, let me know what you think! R &R!**  
 **Until next time!**  
 **~InAllMyYears~**


	8. Valentine's Day Sucks

Here we go guys, new chapter fresh off the presses! Enjoy!

* * *

It was a week before the holiday E. Aster Bunnymund loathed the most.

Well, perhaps not the _most_ , Christmas held a very special place in his heart (i.e, the darkest corner, forgotten as often as possible), but Valentine's day was nearly as bad in its own way. While Christmas came with a constant stream of put-downs from St. Nick, Valentine's day was a constant reminder of all that he'd lost. How could he not get a little down when reminded that he was destined for a lonely future?

"Yo, Bunnyboo!"

And he was always quickly reminded that perhaps that future wasn't quite lonely enough.

With a sigh, Bunnymund left his workshop (still in nearly immaculate order—he wasn't going to waste all of Jack's hard work) to meet his visitor, though the prospect made him slightly queasy. The sun was blinding compared to the low light he kept his work space under, and he had to squint to adjust.

Before he could, however, he felt an arm sling itself around his shoulders, and he was immediately assaulted with the scent of minty chocolate that made his nose tingle.

"Val," Bunny grumbled, ducking from under that arm and taking a quick step in the opposite direction. "Thought I smelled trouble. What're ya doin' here, mate? Ya know I'm busy."

The being before him never failed to make Bunny uncomfortable. But, then again, that was common knowledge between the two, and while they were quite good friends, Val never failed to take advantage of this.

"Oh Bunny," The spirit crooned, following him step for step. "I need a reason to visit my inevitable victims? Can't I just miss you?"

That earned an amused scoff from said 'victim'. Bunny jutted a hip, crossing his arms. "Uh huh. That threat's gotten a bit stale by now. Tell me what ya need or scram."

This caused a pout to spring upon the love sprite's face, and while the look may have sent a mortal to their knees in worship, it only caused a spark of irritation in Bunny. "I hate when you get right to the point, dearie. You know I love to play with my food. Won't you indulge, just a little?"

With a roll of his eyes, Bunny turned back to his workshop.

"Hey hey hey!" The sprite slipped into Bunny's path, a decidedly mischievous cast to the once flirty expression. "I'm not here about something I need, Bunnyboo—I'm here about something _you_ need."

"That so?"

"Mhm," the sound was nearly a purr. "How long did you think you could hide that… _delicious_ little snow angel from me, Aster?"

Bunny felt adrenaline flash through his veins, driven by his sudden anxiety.

"What about him?"

Pink irises flicked upwards, while a slender finger tapped a perfectly flushed cheek. "Oh, I dunno, dearie. Its just, he's such a _delight_ , and he's been such a _good_ helper…"

He had to fight a snarl before he could speak. "Whaddya mean, 'helper'? Helpin' with what?"

A delicate laugh drifted through the Warren. "Oh, calm yourself, hunny bun, I haven't done anything to your little snowflake. I had a few cherubs down for the count, and he offered his services. I happened to be visiting Nick for advice, and the little snow bird overheard my problem. Such a sweet thing," those eyes widened in an effort to look pleading, perhaps innocent, but Bunny wasn't fooled for a moment. "As helpful as he's been, I still find myself a little behind schedule, however. I'm sure you know how it is…" Those eyes grew a dreamy look, lips curling into a sly smile, "Getting distracted just before your big day. Did I mention how cute the little sprite is? Especially when he's focused, the way the tip of his tongue sticks out the corner of his sweet mouth—"

"Val," Bunny growled in warning. Instead of scaring the fellow spirit, however, it drew another delighted laugh, and suddenly Bunny found his arms full of mint chocolatey love spirit.

"Oh, I do so love to tease you, dear," a sudden fingertip tapping his nose startled him just a moment. "I have no designs on your precious Guardian of Fun."

"He _ain't_ my—"

"Well, no current designs, anyway," With another lilting giggle, the spirit darted into the air before Bunny could process the thought. "I'm here to see if you'd be willing to help me out a little, too. Everyone knows you over-prepare; you're like a Boy Scout's wet dream, so I know you can afford the time off. So, whaddya say, lovely?"

Bunny huffed, glaring at his friend (though he was seriously reconsidering the title) in annoyance. Not a single part of him wanted to go help the spirit of love prepare for the overrated holiday, and likely it was yet another stupid attempt to change his near-legendary bachelor status.

But just the thought of leaving Jack alone with this cretin made his hackles raise and his fists clench.

"Fine," He grumbled, which was met with a tiny round of applause from where the spirit floated. "But any funny business from ya, and Jackie and me are gone. Got it?"

A smile that promised nothing _but_ trouble and a nod that clearly meant anything but yes was his answer, and he inwardly groaned.

* * *

 _(Earlier that day, at the Pole)_

Jack was strolling down the hall, towards the kitchen for a snack, when he heard North in his office.

"Is not to worry, Val—We is to be helping you with this problem. I can lend an elf or six, as is off season for Christmas working."

"Oh thank you, Nick dearie! You're such a life saver," The other person gushed. The voice was unlike any Jack had heard before—warm and husky, like honey with sugar crystals on a summer day.

Curious, he crept closer to the large doors, which were just slightly ajar.

"Is no problem at all, truly. I am still owing you for '72, you know."

'72? What happened in '72 that St. Nick, of all people, owed anyone anything?

"Well, I know I can count on you regardless, old friend. I can't say enough how much I appreciate—"

Before Jack could scramble out of the way, the door swung wide.

Which may not have been such a problem, if it hadn't swung right into his nose.

 _Suppose that's what I get for being nosey_ , he thought ruefully, groaning as he rubbed his stinging face. Once the stinging subsided enough, Jack opened his eyes to look upon the visitor from his new, and involuntary, position on the floor.

Standing above him, with a smirk that should have been classified as a lethal weapon and a glint in his eyes that made Jack instinctively swallow, was perhaps the most handsome man he had ever seen in his life.

He was broad, but in a way that suggested competence, not bulk. He was tall, nearly North's height, and while he wasn't nearly so large as the man standing behind him (who was looking at Jack both worried and disapproving), he could certainly command attention. Though the bright pink hair and eyes were perhaps to partially blame for that. That hair fell in an artfully curly mess that suggested both effort and effortless appeal. He wore a bubblegum button up shirt beneath a gray vest, which matched his tailored pants.

"My oh my, Nicholas, seems we have an eavesdropper," he purred— _purred_ , really—as he bent down, extending a hand as he did so. "And a cute one at that."

Jack simply sat there, looking into those hypnotizing eyes. They crinkled at the edges, and before he knew what was happening, Jack suddenly found himself tugged up, one hand caught in one hand of this stranger, the other steadying himself against that broad chest. He was met with warmth that reminded him of fireplaces and sunshine on a beach, and he blinked rapidly to break the spell cast on him, because it sure as hell wasn't natural for him to act like some star struck damsel.

He didn't have a chance to get his bearings before slender, strong fingers titled his face up, blue once more meeting pink.

"And just where have you been stowing this enchanting creature?" The scent of lilacs in full bloom cascaded over him in an intoxicating wave. The guy's smile was infectious, though, and Jack couldn't help the snort that escaped him.

"Dude, tone it down," he joked, removing his chin from those fingers but not backing down. "You haven't even taken me for drinks yet, don't get so handsy."

"Oh, so it's a 'yet'," the man chuckled. He stepped back, sticking his hands into his pockets, bending so their eyes were even. "If we're being fair, love, I believe _you_ owe _me_ drinks—I wasn't the one caught listening to conversations that aren't mine, now, was I?"

Jack's cheeks flushed cold for a moment, but he simply flicked his staff into his waiting hands with one of his feet from where it had fallen. "North here never has visitors, so sue me. Being curious is part of my charm," He flashed those pearly whites in his best self-confident smirk, trying his best to regain the upper hand.

"And charming you are," He replied, straightening to his full height. "Nick, perhaps you would do us the honor of a proper introduction?"

"Ah, yes," North stepped between the two, one hand on each of their shoulders. "Jack, this is very good friend Valentino. Valentino, this is Jack Frost, most recent addition to our Guardians," He announced proudly, clapping Jack on the shoulder.

"I had thought so," Valentino smiled widely, holding out his hand once more. "You're pretty recognizable, snow angel. Call me Val, or if the fancy strikes you, Cupid works just as well."

Jack's eyes widened as he took the offered hand. "Cupid? Like Valentine's day, roses, hearts, flying babies in diapers?"

Val threw his head back, letting out a hearty laugh that made Jack feel warm again. "Yes, that one, though the flying babies part is a tad exaggerated." He sighed, a slightly harried look crossing his face. "Actually, my cherubs are why I'm here. Needed to borrow a couple of Santa's infamous elves to keep on schedule, as some of my assistants had an unfortunate run in with a sudden storm off the coast of Africa earlier this week. Can't afford it right now, with my holiday just a week away."

"And you're actually asking him to borrow some elves?" Jack asked incredulously. "Usually people are begging him to get them away from their work, no offense," He glanced at North, who frowned, but nodded.

"Is true," He admitted. "Now that I am thinking about it, perhaps elves may not be as big of help as you are hoping."

"Oh, phoo!" Val huffed, crossing his arms. "Well, I certainly can't make my quota at the rate we're working at now. I absolutely need to get some assistance ASAP."

Silence reigned for a moment as the three thought, when Nick suddenly shouted.

"Aha! It is perfect solution!"

The other two, once settled from the outburst, cast him questioning glances. "What is?" Jack asked.

"You!" He pointed at the winter spirit. "You can help Val! Will make up for sneaky listening, no? Is perfect!"

Immediately, Jack raised his hands, as if to ward off the entire idea. "Um, I don't think that's a very good—"

"You're right Nick, as usual!" Val agreed, ignoring him. "Those delicate hands would be perfect for what I need. And this way, you can make things up to me." He set his gaze, so full of excitement, on Jack, and the Guardian of Fun knew he was well and truly caught.

* * *

Though Bunny had a healthy appreciation for the natural beauty to be found in the mountains of Greece, he avoided the castle nestled within like it carried a plague, though the only plague it truly carried was the one who lived there, in his opinion.

"Bunnyboo, and here I thought you'd never show," exclaimed said plague from his position leaning against a massive staircase just inside the massive doors. Predictably, everything was marbled and gold-gilt, which, in Bunny's opinion, was simply ostentatious.

"Took me less than a half hour to get here, mate," He grumbled, pushing past the menace to begin up the staircase. "Assumin' ya got Jackie squirrled away in your workshop?"

Valentino watched his too-tense friend stalk away, a calculating smirk on his face. He may have appeared flighty and air-headed, but he hadn't been worshipped as a god once for nothing. He soared after the pooka warrior, ready to put his plan into action. They say, after all, that love is patient.

Val's workshop was, as always, startling when you first saw it. It resembled a modern day chemistry lab, complete with hooded workstations along the far wall. The layout was very simple, just as many flat surfaces as there could possibly be in the form of large rolling carts, with the walls covered in shimmering bottles of all different colors. Bunny snuffed, the scent of minty chocolate assaulting him as he entered, and immediately ducked to avoid a passing cherub, arms filled with various bottles and vials.

The cherubs themselves gave Bunny the creeps. They were quite like Toothania's fairies, extensions of herself, but not nearly as grand as the original. They were small, attractive looking… things, all wearing some shade of pink or red business attire, with small wings sprouting from their backs

Bunny mentally chalked this up on the 'worst days of my life' list, and it ranked pretty high up there. Which was impressive, given how many days he had to choose from.

"Aster!" A voice called, and the sound of it immediately relieved some of the tension in his shoulders. He could just make out a blue and pink smudge rapidly making its way through the chaos of the workshop, and a smile rose unbidden to his face.

Though Val made note of this, he didn't make a comment. Only mentally added it to his own schematics.

The boy landed before them, a large grin plastered to his face, and Bunny couldn't help but think how well the pink complimented Jack's pale skin.

It did funny things to his insides, seeing Jack slathered with someone else's colors.

"Oh, snow angel!" Val cried, darting to him before Bunny could return the greeting. "Look at you, you're positively a mess!" The tone was fond, and he gently took Jack's pale face between his palms, rubbing a smudge of pink from a white cheek. "I told you to be careful, dearie!"

Bunny took a little too much pleasure in how uncomfortable Jack looked, having the over-sized cherub hovering and touching him.

 _He still doesn't like much being touched. And what kind of stupid nickname is 'snow angel' anyway?_

"Erm, sorry about that Val," Jack winced at a particularly vigorous rub to his cheek. "This stuff tends to get everywhere."

"Don't I know it- why do you think I wear so much pink? Though it suits me, it's more practical than anything," He tossed a secret wink to the boy before turning to Bunny, who was standing with his arms crossed.

"Ya done bein' such a mother hen?" He groused, and Val only laughed.

"Such a grumpy bunny," He admonished. "Well, to the point then, as usual. See, I've already explained things to Jack, and he's been hard at work, but I think this task would be more suited to you anyway, hunny bun." He strode purposefully back where Jack had come from, with the other two trailing behind.

"I'm glad you're here, believe it or not," Jack whispered, sneaking a little grin to the pooka. "This dude has been all over me since he met me. Kind of exhausting."

Despite the way the thought made him bristle, Bunny smiled back. "Preachin' to the choir."

"So, this is where the magic happens—literally!" Val gestured to the large cart before them with altogether too much flourish. It had a variety of opened beakers containing questionable ingredients, several sheets of paper (which looked to be instructions), a multitude of scales and scoops, and one end housed just a few neatly corked vials. "Betty and Veronica are my two very best potion makers, and of course they were two of the poor dears caught in that nasty storm. Down for the count for at least a week, breaks my heart.

"In the meantime, I need replacements. As you can see, Jack here has been hard at work making the ooey-gooey stuff I dip my arrows in to make hapless mortals loosen up a bit."

"So date rape drugs," Bunny snorted. "Sounds sketchy, mate."

"Oh, don't be so crass," Val wrinkled his nose. "It's not like it alters their personality. Just lets them lose a few of those pesky inhibitions, like a glass of wine might." He plucked a pure white, gold-tipped arrow seemingly from thin-air, opened one of the few vials, and gingerly touched the surface of the viscous liquid inside with it, coating the end in a substance similar in appearance to blood. Bunny took a few precautionary steps back, drawing a confused look from Jack and a calculating one from Val. "It may take only a dip of the tip to be effective, but I have quite a few romances to encourage, and some of the more stubborn ones need an extra dose or three. It's a very delicate process, and requires nimble fingers and keen eyes to get the ratios exactly right."

"And are they good so far? The mixtures, I mean," Jack asked, eyeing the loaded weapon.

"Why don't you tell me?" Val thrust the vial under the startled winter spirit's nose. "Go on, tell me what you smell."

Confused, he took a hesitant sniff, and the scent washed over him in comforting waves.

"Freshly bloomed lilacs," He sighed, taking one more deep inhalation. "Holy cow, it smells just like the real thing." Feeling eyes on him, he turned to Bunny, who was regarding him with an incredulous look, then turned to meet Val's delighted grin.

"What? Is that not what it is?"

"Jackie, the brew he's got there is meant to mimic the smeller's favorite scent," Bunny explained. "Supposed to lure 'em into a false sense of security before this numbskull wallops 'em with his goo-goo rays."

"Really, Bunnyboo, 'goo-goo rays'? Stick to your day job, comedy isn't for everyone."

"Ok, so what does it smell like to you guys then?"

"Oh, I'm immune to it, unfortunately," Val pouted. "Can't be taken in by my own tricks, that'd be bad for business."

"Just smells like chocolate to me," Bunny muttered, making his way over to the table. "Val, come show me how ya make this gunk so we can get outta here."

Once Bunny had a firm understanding of the instructions, Val made himself scarce, as he (supposedly) had dozens of things that still needed doing. Once he was gone, Bunny was able to relax a bit more, comfortable with the work that was relatively familiar to him. After all, making his paints and his bombs was basically the same process, just with new ingredients. He remained on guard, however, used to Val's tricks.

He and Jack chatted while they worked, but neither of them lost focus on the task—they were both eager to put the unsettling pink man and his grandiose castle behind them.

Soon the work became tedious, however, and after a few hours had passed, they only had two additional vials to show for it.

"I mean, it's still faster," Jack offered, though his face was more of a grimace than anything reassuring. "Took me all morning to make those two I made."

"Yeah? And how many prank breaks did you take?" Bunny asked with a smirk, not looking up from his work.

"Only three."

"Such restraint. Keep at it and you'll be reformed in no time."

His only reply was a tongue stuck out at him, and Jack silently went back to work.

Nearly another hour passed when Bunny finally took the time to stretch, leaning back and groaning as he raised his arms over his head. Jack paid him no mind, continuing to measure out tiny masses of powder and essence.

The pooka took a moment to look his companion over, thinking about the things Val had said earlier. _Did I mention how cute the little sprite is? Especially when he's focused, the way the tip of his tongue sticks out the corner of his sweet mouth—_

And there it was, just as Val had said, the tip of a surprisingly pink tongue peeking from between icy lips.

Heat bloomed throughout Bunny's face and he quickly looked away.

"Another vial ready to go!" Jack sprung up, holding the red vial delicately between two nimble fingers. Bunny shook off his discomfort long enough to smile at the enthusiasm.

And that's really when everything went to hell.

If anyone asked Bunny what happened next, he wouldn't have been able to say for sure. There was a cherub that burst into the lab, a bandage around its head, chirping frantically as it tumbled through the space. Val had been chasing it, yelling, with a slightly panicked look on his face.

And the panic was totally warranted when said cherub crashed into the wall of bottles right behind the station Jack and Bunny had been sitting at.

The only clear memory he had about the situation was the look of mild terror on Jack's face as the wall began to collapse on top of him. And also the feeling of Jack's body beneath his as he tackled him out of the way. The cabinet crashed to the floor in the exact spot where Jack had just been standing, but the sound didn't seem to register to him.

He could faintly hear Val shrieking and the other cherubs squeaking, but those sounds were drowned out by the little gasps Jack released as he was suddenly brought to the floor beneath a large body.

Bunny tried his best not to think about what other sounds he might like to hear from that mouth, especially in a similar position, but he really couldn't help himself. Usually he was quite good at keeping such thoughts locked up in his mind, and never had they been quite so intense, but all he could think about was how nice it felt, how right, to have a Jack-sized body under his own.

"Oh my Moon, Aster, are you ok?" Jack breathed, his blue eyes still a bit wild. From so close up, propped on his elbows above the sprite, he got a real good look at those eyes. Yeah, they were blue, but how had he not noticed that frosted-over quality to those irises before…?

Faintly, he registered someone nearby swearing profusely, but didn't pay it much mind until a strong hand suddenly gripped his shoulder. And at that moment, Bunny half turned to face this threat, Jack still pinned beneath him, with a bone chilling snarl.

The entire lab went completely silent as Val took a step back, his eyes darting down to the red stain covering Bunny's white chest.

Before anyone in the room could give any kind of reaction at all, Bunny tapped the ground beneath him, and the Guardians of Hope and Fun fell into the hole which suddenly formed beneath them. Jack had only time to yelp as his stomach dropped, and his eyes met pink ones creased with worry before the tunnel closed behind Bunny, encasing them in the darkness of the Earth.

* * *

 **Well everyone, after quite the hiatus, here is a brand new chapter! Again, no excuses—just had a hard time finding the right way to put this idea into words! I'm already working on the next chapter, so I hope to have in much less time than it took for me to get this one to you!  
I hope you guys enjoy! Let me know what you think!  
** _ **InAllMyYears**_


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